Basketball and the
Deaf

Deaf Basketball
By John Taylor
April 5, 2009

Deaf Basketball

The use of American Sign Language has spread Throughout America and is
used every day. The deaf use this language to express themselves and
communicate. The language has evolved from just simple signs into a complex
language with many different variations of a single sign. ASL, American Sign
Language, has spread its way into the world of athletic competition. One
such sport that ASL has spread to is basketball.

Basketball has been an increasing popular sport among elite deaf athletes
around the world. The deaf have long been competing in sports, though they
usually compete against other deaf athletes. The Akron Club for the Deaf in
Ohio sponsored the first national basketball tournament in the United States
in 1945, and established the American Athletic Union of the Deaf (USDAF,
2006). This later became the American Athletic Association of the Deaf, and
in 1997, the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF). It was created to promote
and regulate uniform rules of competition and to provide a social outlet for
deaf athletes and their friends (USDAF, 2006). It serves as the parent
organization for national sports organizations, conducts annual athletic
competitions, and assists US teams in participating in international
competitions. One interesting fact about the USADSF is that athletes
competing cannot wear hearing aids or cochlea implants during play, to
ensure fair play (USADB, 2008).

Many Deaf Athletes have enjoyed success in the world of basket ball. But few
have had great success in the world of hearing basketball play. One player
that has had great success is Lance Alfred. Alfred is a former and the first
legally deaf player for the National Basketball’s Association (NBA) . Alfred
has done what few deaf basket ball players have done by making it to the
NBA. In high school Alfred was the 1998-1999 Gatorade Player of the Year.
Alfred, as a senior, averaged 17.3 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game
and was rated as one of the top 100 recruits by CNN/Sports Illustrated
(Utah, 2000). He was a first team all-state selection by both the Salt Lake
Tribune and Desert News (Utah, 2000). Alfred has represented for the USA
Deaf Basketball team and came in second place at the 2002 World Deaf
Basketball Championships in Athens, Greece. Alfred is a 6’11, 255ib Center/
Power Forward. Alfred enjoyed a four year professional carrier with the
Idaho Stampede and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Basketball is a sport that is enjoyed by many deaf and disabled people. A
basketballs root run deep and is playable by all people. There are many Deaf
Athlete that’s refuse to let being deaf stop them. There are many who
embrace being deaf and wish to never hear. Basket ball is a fun sport
embraced by the deaf and ASL. ASL is used every day and is highly used in
the world of deaf athletic competition. ASL will continue to spread
throughout the United States and become more and more used by hearing and
deaf people.

American Sign Language and Basketball

It may seem kind of wierd to see these two things in the same sentance
but despite what you believe there are actually some deaf basketball players
and coaches who are very good at the sport and can affectivelly communicate
with their team while on the court and off the court.

Michael Lizarraga is a 20 year old sophomore who plays on the basketball
team at Cal State Northridge. Cal State Northridge is a good Division 1
school that made it to the March Madness tourniment this year. This story
fascinated me not only because it's awesome that Michael is deaf and uses
american sign language to communicate with his teamates but I have
personally played against Michael when we were both about seventeen years
old. "Lizarraga isn't likely to play today against No. 2 seed Memphis — he's
averaged 1.6 points and 0.9 rebounds while seeing action in just eight
games. But coach Bobby Braswell said he's an important part of the squad." (Faraudo,
2009). I remember playing against Michael and I got side tracked during the
game paying attention to his signing to communicate rather than focusing on
the game.

It's not just the basketball players but also Coaches that can use american
sign language to communicate with their teams. Debbie Ayres is the head
basketball coach for California School of the Deaf in Freemont. She is a
very successful coach and coached five years at Cal State Fullerton before
switching to the job in Freemont. "Ayres is the women's basketball coach for
the California School for the Deaf in Fremont and her team can't hear her
give audible directions from the sidelines. Stomping on the floor is just
one method she uses to communicate with her team on the court." (Groshans,
2009). Facing many problems in her first year Ayres said this about that
year, "I didn't know American Sign Language 12 years ago," recalled Ayres,
who initially faced a language barrier and resistance from parents.
Fortunately, the resistance fell away after the team won the Western States
Deaf Basketball Championship in her first year." (Groshans, 2009). She could
probably recruit players from the Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF).

I never knew that there was a basketball organization for the deaf but it
turns out that the DIBF=2 0is very large and well known in the deaf world.
There are Leagues and camps all over the world including Poland, Italy,
Croatia, Kenya, Germany, Slovakia, and many other countries. These are
leages strictly for deaf kids who play basketball and learn to play with
only deaf players. "The formation of DIBF Zones will ensure a good pace,
growth and lifting the standards of deaf basketball, deaf referees and
coaches around the world." (DIBF, 2006).

It's pretty amazing to be so passionate about basketball and have
experienced a few classes of American Sign Language during my education and
to find that there are actually a lot of connections between the two things.
I never would have really thought that ASL would be so popular in the
basketball world but in fact I see that Basketball is much more popular in
the ASL world than I thought.

Since I was small I’ve always been a big basketball fan. One day while
watching one of my favorite players (Labrone James), a halftime report came
on highlighting the achievements of Lance Allred, the NBA’s first deaf
player (SportsLine.com). With basketball being a game of team communication,
I wondered how he was able to achieve this feat.

Before Allred concord the courts of the NBA, he was challenged on the
courts of his high school and college. News spread fast about the 6- foot-
11 center who was deaf but still a dominate player on the court. After being
recruited by Utah State, Allred resigned with Weber state (CBSSports.com).
With the assistance of an interpreter, Allred quickly learned to play o the
next level.

After college, Allred was signed to a deal with the Stampede, a D-League
team. There, Allred continued to overcome his deafness and stand out as a
potential NBA draft pick. In his time with the Stampede, Allred “Averaged
16.2 points on .512 shooting, 10.0 rebounds and 1.4 assist in 29.6 minutes
per game” (NBA.com). With stats like that, Allred was well on his way to
progressing to the NBA.

Gaining the notice of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Allred was signed to
a ten game contract in order to fill the roster for the upcoming games. Not
only did he have very low odds of being retained by the Cavaliers, they were
undoubtedly concerned with his deafness. Again, with the assistance of an
interpreter, Allred was able to secure a second ten day contract and go on
to be signed for the remained of the season.

During my spare time I like to play basketball to stay in shape. I often
play at the school and at my apartment building where I live. Over the
summer some of the residents and I were playing a pickup game of
five-on-five when a seemingly shy and timid guy called next game. Someone
informed me he was deaf in an attempt to dissuade me from picking him up.
With my prior knowledge of Allred and his ability to play a team game and be
deaf, I decided to pick him up anyway. Having taken sign 1 the spring
before, I introduced myself and the other guys and the game was on.

To everyone’s surprise, he was a one man wrecking crew. From his skill
level I assumed he played organized basketball somewhere, either at school
or in local leagues. I’m glad I knew the sign for pass because he forgot he
had a team. Later I met his girlfriend and she interpreted for me as I
spoke. I told him: “I know you’re deaf, but you’re blind, pass the ball a
little more.” We all laughed and went our separate ways.

Learning of Allred accomplishments and playing ball with the deaf guy at
my apartment opened my eyes. It helped my see that anything is achievable,
and I have no excuse for not following my dream. The things I take for
granted like my hearing and speech, doesn’t hold the deaf back one bit.

Citations

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/11015832

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/community/cr_allred_080926.html

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/sign_allred_080313.html

04/06/2009
ASL and Basketball
By Jesus Jacques

Upon doing research on American Sign Language and basketball, I’ve come
across some very interesting data. It seems as though the deaf community
pursuing a athletic sport such as basketball comes with challenges of their
own. For example, Lance Allred, hearing impaired NBA basketball player for
the Cleveland Cavaliers had horrible childhood memories in regards to
hearing impaired persecution. The obstacles he had to overcome were
unbearable. Allred mentioned he had memories of his childhood that continues
to haunt him today. He stated, “I grew up in a society where I was pretty
much brainwashed,”… “When I was 5 years old and hearing impaired, I was told
by a teacher that God had made me deaf as punishment because I wasn’t
faithful in a pre-existence. Who tells a 5-year-old kid that?” (Longshot,
2009).

When I think of someone who has dealt with the challenges of
adversity, I think of Lance Allred. As described in an abstract review by
kirkus on Lance Allred’s autobiography, Long Shot: The Adventures of a deaf
Fundalmentalist Mormon Kid and his Journey to the NBA. “… he was the first
legally deaf player in the league… His hard work was rewarded with a
scholarship to play for the University of Utah, his favorite college team.
That experience ended abruptly during his sophomore year, when verbally
abusive coach Rick Majerus allegedly made disparaging remarks about Allred's
handicap. After transferring to Weber State and battling his OCD, Allred
completed his collegiate eligibility and became a basketball vagabond,
accepting offers to play with professional teams in Turkey, France and
Spain. Injuries, shady contracts and inconsistent playing dogged him at
every stop, and he nearly threw in the towel before signing a $12,000
contract with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA's developmental league. All
ended well when Allred impressed scouts and earned a contract with the
Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming a rookie in the NBA at age 27” (Longshot, 2009
vol.77, issue 5). Sometimes I wonder how we as a human race with great
knowledge and experience of human diversity that we still make an effort to
persecute others and refuse acceptance.

Another deaf basketball hero is Miha Zupan of Slovenian. In an article
“Famous well known people with Hearing Impairments and Deafness” by Disabled
World, a disability and seniors information community found at
www.disabled-world.com, he was the first ever to play basketball in the
Euroleague and plays among the best in Europe. As a teenager, he had growing
knee problems that kept him on the bench for several months; however, was
still able to play to just under 20 national teams. (Disabled World, Feb.
18, 2008). Scott Tetzlaff, born deaf, is another courageous leader and hard
worker who is a 21 year old basketball player for the Lincoln Land Community
College basketball team. He went on for a year and a half to Gallaudet
University, which is a four-year liberal arts school in Washington, D.C. for
the deaf and hard of hearing. Tetzlaff wanted to return and play basketball
for the Lincoln Land basketball team in Illinois so he contacted his coach
Tony Johnson. Johnson stated, “He told me he wanted me to be on the
team…He's got something to learn defensively, but he's a hustler…He dives on
the floor for loose balls. I use him as an example sometimes. Tetzlaff
added, “Life is short. You might as well take advantage of it.” (Deaf
Student Makes The Cut on College Basketball Team, Martinez, Marcia,
03/20/2000, Vol. 12, Issue 16). Tetzlaff is a true example for all
communities when it comes to hard work and someone who is enjoying life to
the fullest. Many people will encounter and have the privilege to meet great
men and women in their lifetime. Lance Allred, Miha Zupan, and Scott
Tetzlaff are among the great leaders who has done their part to reshape
world’s views of the deaf and hard of hearing in the world of basketball.

One of the deaf basketball organizations that caught my attention was the
Arizona Desert Fire Basketball (AZDF) that was established in the spring of
1995 by a group of Deaf basketball players. The majority of them had college
basketball experience. The goal was to create a team with the ability to
compete in Men's Top Division basketball leagues (www.azdesertfire.com). The
Farwest Athletic Association of the Deaf (FAAD) is another organization in
which other deaf teams can compete with each other. The FAAD can be found by
going to www.fwdba.org . Contacting FAAD is using done electronically. The
deadline for turning in their registration and fees to both the USADB and
FWDBA is February 1st.if they want to join for the January 15th. The team
playing the MLK in Phoenix the January 18th-19th will also be able to accept
registration, according to the FWDBA. Two other tournaments include the
Regional tournament and the USA Deaf Basketball (USADB) National tournament.
In 1999, there was the first USADB National tournament held in Phoenix,
Arizona and it was sponsored in part by the Phoenix Suns at the Phoenix
Civic Plaza. In addition, Sunnyslope High School supported AZDF for their
first Regional tournament in Phoenix in 2003.” The USADB can be found by
going to www.usadb.org and the Arizona Desert Fire Basketball can be found
at www.azdesertfire.com.

Disabled World (2008). Famous Well Known People with Hearing Impairments and
Deafness. http://74.6.146.127/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=famous+deaf+basketball+players&fr=yfp-t-501&u=www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/famous-deaf.shtml&w=famous+deaf+basketball+players+player&d=YiEGfp2uSh_U&icp=1&.intl=us

I am very interested in how deaf people managed to play sports and actually
be quite successful in it. So I chose to focus on one sport and I lean
towards Basketball. Because when I play basketball it is a lot of
communicating verbally, and I was not sure if you could be successful
without voicing. So I searched "deaf basketball" and I found out they had a
United States of America Deaf Basketball(USADB) league. And later found out
that they had a whole federation for deaf athletes better known as the USA
Deaf Sports Federation. Under this federation they have several sports which
includes Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Soccer just to name a
few. But I want to focus on the USADB, United States of America Deaf
Basketball (USADB) is the premier national sports organization for deaf and
hard of hearing basketball athletes and supporters. It was established in
1945 Akron, Ohio as the American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD) by
a small group of people who wanted to see formal basketball programs for
deaf adults. USADB is host to an annual national men and women’s basketball
tournament that draws 28 teams and thousands of spectators from 8 different
regions. USADB is also responsible for the development and training of the
US men and women’s national and development teams to represent to
international competitions; as well as youth development programs which
include boys and girl’s elite camps and high school all-star national
competition. There main mission or mission statement is a national
basketball organization serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes who desire
to participate in organized sports activities. There are eight regional
units sponsored by USADB which come together at annual national tournaments
and summer basketball camps, thus to develop a sense of good sportsmanship,
congeniality and leadership skills among interested and talented players.
Participants for Deaf Olympics and International Basketball games are
selected from the most promising players at these tournaments, to represent
USADB internationally. After looking into this even further I see that they
have playoffs just like the NBA would and they also have a USADB hall of
fame which is amazing to see. I felt before that deaf communities would not
have so an well known league dedicated to sports. Then I wanted to see if
any deaf players ever made it to the NBA and there is only one. I googled
"deaf NBA player" and found that Lance Allred is the 1st and only player to
be deaf or hard of hearing to make it. He made it very recently, Lance
Allred went through to get where he is now, the rest of his journey
shouldn't be so difficult. Allred, a 27 year old, 6-11 center, signed a
contract to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Allred's contract,
signed on April 4 2008.

References:

www.usadb.us/index.html
www.usdeafsports.org/
www.i711.com

Osei Morris:
First Black Deaf to Play for a Professional Basketball Team

By Malcolm Odoh
April 5, 2009

Osei Morris

Every since I was a young child I have enjoyed the game of basketball, when
I was four years old I remember watching Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson
square off in the 1991 NBA finals. When attempting to find a subject for
this assignment I decided to explore one of my passions (basketball). In my
research of how basketball relates to the deaf community I came across the
story of 25 year old Osei Morris, he was born Hard of Hearing, yet he and
his profoundly deaf twin brother Adei, proudly say they are "Deaf" and don’t
look for excuses based upon him being hard of hearing. He and his brother
have always desired to become professional basketball players and taught
themselves to play by observing the game. They both played briefly at
Gallaudet College for the Deaf in Washington, D.C. fortunately for them,
there was a National Deaf Basketball League they joined and further
developed their talents in an environment where all the players, coaches,
referees and fans were deaf.

When playing in a deaf environment communication was done by using American
Sign Language. This non-profit organization was created to encourage Deaf
athletes to go beyond their physical challenges in the game of Basketball.
Osei Morris was the Most Valuable Player in 2004. With his innate skill for
playing basketball he signed with the LA Stars of the ABA, in his
interaction with the team although he can read lips and voice some, he
prefers use Sign Language. Osei is the first black deaf basketball player to
play for a professional team. The LA Stars provides Osei with an interpreter
at practices and at games and in fact, team members have already expressed
interest in learning sign language to be able to communicate with him on the
court better. Osei Morris feels he can do anything but hear, and is truly
grateful for this extraordinary opportunity given by the LA Stars.

The LA Stars are excited about the attempt to bridge the gap between the
Deaf and Hearing Worlds by welcoming the Deaf Community as fans. Sign
language has been used to create a bond in the world of basketball in
variety of ways not only in the case of deaf people but through the
fundamental aspects of the game such as communication between players on the
court and coaches who signal plays to attack opponent’s defenses. The 2/3
zone in basketball is signaled by coaches in all leagues as a defensive
strategy to stop opposing offenses. For most teams the signal for the 2/3
zone is communicated through American Sign Language. Sign Language has been
a staple used in basketball and will forever be linked to each other due to
the fundamental aspects of the game that make communication between coaches
and players easier and more effective.